A new solar panel manufacturing operation is coming to Summerville, bringing a $15.7 million investment and 167 new jobs to Dorchester County.
Translucent Solar LLC, a U.S.-based solar technology manufacturer, has selected Dorchester County for a new 1.2-gigawatt solar panel manufacturing facility, according to an announcement Monday from Dorchester County Economic Development.
The company plans to invest approximately $15.675 million during the first phase of the project and create 167 new jobs in the area.
What We Know
- Company: Translucent Solar LLC
- Investment: $15.675 million
- Jobs: 167
- Facility: Approximately 281,000 square feet
- Production: Photovoltaic solar modules
- Planned capacity: 1.2 gigawatts annually
- Hiring: Local application details have not yet been announced
A 281,000-Square-Foot Manufacturing Facility
The new Summerville operation will occupy approximately 281,000 square feet and use highly automated production lines to manufacture photovoltaic solar modules.
The panels produced at the facility are expected to serve several segments of the solar market, including residential, commercial and industrial, and large utility-scale projects.
According to industry publication Solar Power World, Translucent Solar expects the Summerville plant to reach its planned 1.2-gigawatt annual manufacturing capacity by the end of 2026.
Translucent Solar Managing Director Augustus Rylands said the Summerville facility represents the beginning of a larger domestic manufacturing strategy.
“Summerville is the first step in our multi-year plan,” Rylands said, adding that the company intends to expand into U.S. manufacturing of solar cells and wafers in the future.
Why Summerville?
Translucent Solar was founded in 2022 by energy-industry veterans and considered locations across the country before choosing the Summerville area.
Rylands said access to workers and the nearby Port of Charleston were among the factors that helped bring the operation to Dorchester County. He also credited state and county economic development officials with helping the company through the selection process.
The Port of Charleston is expected to play a role in the facility’s supply chain as raw materials are brought into the region.
South Carolina Ports President and CEO Micah Mallace welcomed Translucent Solar to Dorchester County and pointed to the investment as another example of the port’s role in supporting regional manufacturing and supply chains.
Project Has Been in the Works
Although the location was formally announced Monday, public records show the project had already begun moving through Dorchester County’s economic development process.
On June 15, 2026, Dorchester County approved an inducement resolution committing the county to enter into a fee agreement with Translucent Solar LLC related to the project.
The company also appears in federal Foreign-Trade Zone records. A July 2026 U.S. Department of Commerce record lists Translucent Solar in connection with a Foreign-Trade Zone boundary modification, and current federal records list the company’s subzone status as approved.
167 New Jobs Coming to the Area
The company says the first phase of the Summerville operation will create 167 new jobs.
Specific information about the positions, expected pay ranges, hiring timeline and how to apply was not included in Monday’s announcement.
As hiring information for the new Summerville facility becomes available, What’s Up Summerville will update this story.
Another Manufacturing Investment for Dorchester County
The project adds another manufacturing operation to the growing Summerville and Dorchester County industrial corridor — this time in the renewable-energy sector.
Translucent Solar says the Summerville factory is the first step in a broader U.S. expansion strategy, with plans to eventually move further into the domestic solar manufacturing supply chain.
For the Summerville area, the project means a sizable new manufacturing operation, millions of dollars in investment and 167 new jobs expected to come to Dorchester County.
